This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to a device for handling notes of value. The device comprises a control unit for controlling the device, the control unit executing program data of a computer program.
2. Discussion
The device is in particular an automated teller machine, an automatic cash register system or an automatic cash safe. The control unit of the automated teller machine, the automatic cash register system or, respectively, the automatic cash safe executes program data of a computer program which in particular serves to control the operating sequences of the automated teller machine, the automatic cash safe or, respectively, the automatic cash register system. The company which sells the computer program is, as in the case of computer programs for PCs, interested in licensing the computer program to the operator of the automated teller machine, the automatic cash register system or, respectively, the automatic cash safe to thus prevent the unlicensed use and/or the illegal copying of the computer program.
The automated teller machines, automatic cash register systems and/or automatic cash safes are usually integrated into a computer network of the operator via which the operator can in particular monitor the status of the automated teller machine, the automatic cash register system or, respectively, the automatic cash safe and the stock of notes of value in the cash cassettes accommodated therein. One possibility of carrying out the licensing of the computer program is that the licensor, i.e. the company that has programmed the computer program and/or sells the computer program is granted access to this computer network. This has the disadvantage that via the computer networks of the operator, in particular in the case of banks, access to confidential data which the service provider must not access is possible. One possibility of preventing this is the use of complex data protection system, such as firewall systems. This, however, incurs high costs and an additional expense for the operator. Moreover, the licensing via the Internet is problematic for security reasons.
Another possibility of licensing is that the licensing already takes place at the manufacturer of the automated teller machine in that the manufacturer asks the operator of the device for the required data. The manufacturer of the automated teller machine, the automatic cash register system or, respectively, the automatic cash safe in this case only installs those function modules of the computer program on the automated teller machine, the automatic cash system or, respectively, the automatic cash safe that have been purchased by the operator of the device. This has the disadvantage that, on the one hand, this method means additional expenses for the manufacturer. On the other hand, it is disadvantageous that on each automated teller machine, automatic cash register system or, respectively, on each automated cash safe, different program data of the computer program have to be installed. This, too, incurs additional expenses and additional costs.